NEW Giovanni Series Compact Conga

[Juan]

Given the generally good reviews, I bought a pair of the compact congas recently. They're certainly more portable than the large wooden drums I've carried around in the past, and I think the sound is more than good enough for non-purists (read: most general audiences).

Here's the real problem for me: I'm getting a lot of harsh, metalic overtones to the sound of open tones. (This seems to diminish as I tune the conga higher.) Are any of you playing the compact conga noticing a similar quality to the sound? Any luck on minimizing the overtone?

I'm not sure if the metallic ring is due to the aluminum "shell" itself or out of control harmonics coming right off of the synthetic head.

[ABAKUA]

Synthetic head with combination of a the smaller dimension of the shell will almost guarantee you these ugly overtones.

Try placing a small 10cm strip of gaffa tape on the under face of the skin in the centre. Play drum again, if overtones persists, place another strip (same size) over the top of it making an "X" like shape with the tape. The overtones/ringy sound should dissapear. If you put too much tape however, you will severly muffle the drums tones.

I prefer using genuine skin as apposed to the plastic/synthetic skins. However, the gaffa tape solution solved my overtone problems while I temporarilly had a fibreskin on many years ago.

[Juan]

Thanks, Abakua.

I'll try using the tape, as you've suggested, and post the results here. Now, to find "gaffa" tape....

[ABAKUA]

Is that what its called in the States?

We call it gaffa tape here is Australia, its black thick tape with smooth top surface, (very very sticky stuff) used by stage crew and sound engineers the world over.



Just checked google.com in search function, yeah, ita called Gaffa tape. Try any hardware store or sound equipment store or any drumming store, they should stock it.

[Juan]

Thanks again! Will try the tape--probably today.

[GuruPimpi]

I played compact conga and I want it bad!

No bass, that's a fact, i mean, hey, you can't be body builder without a body

Personally, i'm not very latin music oriented, but I like instruments, most of all I'm impressed by new sounds in general, especially if they are made by a hand and 'instrument', not a machine. Compact conga cannot replace conga, quinto or tumba, it's just a new wave of conga family sounds (some sort of Extra Nuova Latin Space Galactic Jungle Treee E.T. con Ritmo Sonica )

Thank You LP, got to get my hands on Pearl practice conga....

Wahu batu para!

Primoz

[GuruPimpi]

One more thing...

Try to hold compact conga as a Pandeiro or tamborim (i know it can be hard and heavy), and than play it with fingers (rolls+accents) and with a holding hand play the muting and pressing tone. Nice... Quiet but nice,


P.

[Juan]

Hi, Abakua.

Just wanted to pass my thanks along for the tip about gaffa tape. Creating an "X" under the center of the head did the trick. I had to add a fair amount of tape (but then I was using 1" size). The metallic "harmonics" were cut way down. :laugh:

[ABAKUA]

Hi, Abakua.

Just wanted to pass my thanks along for the tip about gaffa tape. Creating an "X" under the center of the head did the trick. I had to add a fair amount of tape (but then I was using 1" size). The metallic "harmonics" were cut way down. :laugh:

No problem Glad to be of help.

[duca]

Hi, I know that Lp Compact conga will be avaible in 11'' 3/4 (conga size) in spring of 2005!!!!
what do you think about???
Tank's.

[dannydrumperc]

It is a good sounding drum perhaps the lack of bass tone. It will be an excellent addition to a multi-percussion setups in a pop oriented setting. It tunes with a drum key and sounds very loud. I think it best tunes in the quinto range.

[cajon]

check this out !!

sounds better as the Pearl practice conga
and is cheaper as the LP compact conga
and is also easy to build yourself !!!

SlapDRUM

[Drumwoulf]

I heard the clip and the drums sounds pretty good. Of course, Giovanni was playing them. It seems like a cool item, but with no tumba (bass tone), it defeats the purpose.
These compact drums have synthetic heads, which I'm not really into. I like the old fashion buffalo hide, "just my preference."
As far as mobility is concerned this product would be ideal. Lugging my drum which is made of wood is a pain. I could just imagine carrying those fiberglass drums from LP. Man, those suckers are heavy.

LP's Compact Conga? -Tried one at Guitar Center. Stinks...!! No decent sound from it at all, IMO. And as far as a practice pad goes, -####, snare drum practice pads you can get for $10 to $20, but for this conga 'pad' thing they want almost the same price as some less expensive congas go for...
Ridiculous waste of money IMO! (And I'm not an LP basher; I like most LP stuff and enjoy using their Salsa congas...) Only use I could see for these Compact things is to set them up on stands to use with a drumset for a 'different' type of sound. But don't expect decent conga sounds from them...

And BTW, my Salsa Original glass congas are a lot lighter than most woodies! Have you ever lugged around LP wood Matadors, or Meinel's wood congas? Now THAT'S heavy!
Drumwoulf
(Hey, "*ell" is a deleted curse word here? Man, you guys are prudes!)



Edited By Drumwoulf on 1112132884

[TigerBongo]

Hi all,

I just pcked up a pair on LP Compact congas in Singapore during the weekend (while travelling home to NZ). I do agree about the metallic sound - reminiscent of any synthetic head and the no bass-tone (obviously - as there ain't no body to it!). I have bought these with the intentions to use them with my multiperc setup when space is an issue.

I do a lot of theatre work (musical theatre and tours) - and so I may only need congas for 1 chart in a whole score - so makes sense (espec. when I've also got to fit in timpani, xylo, glock, vibes, tam-tam, cymbals, tub bells, bongo, trap tables, piatti.....) to have as many compact setups as possible.

I'll give them a decent go this month - so will let you all know how I go in a live gig situation.

TigerBongo